The development of a single quality framework from birth to the end of the Foundation Stage was one of the key commitments in the ten-year strategy for early years, 'Choice for Parents: the best start for children', published by the Government in December last year.
My team was given the task of developing this framework. Our work is under way and now we would like your help to make sure we get it right.
When I talk to practitioners about a new framework the reactions I receive are mixed. The most frequent one is a groan of, 'Oh no. Not more change.
We're just getting used to Birth to Three Matters and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage.'
Such concerns are easily allayed. The ten-year strategy is clear that these will continue to be the two core documents for those who work with children from birth to the end of the Foundation Stage.
So why do we need a new framework? The clue is in the word 'single'. At present those who work in early years settings have to make sense of a number of different documents that relate to the quality of what they provide for children. As well as the two core documents there are the National Standards for Daycare, and reception teachers also have frameworks for literacy and mathematics.
Although many practitioners have successfully identified and mapped the links between the four aspects of Birth to Three Matters with the six areas of learning of the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, many others struggle to see how they relate to each other. They are sometimes unsure about which they should turn to for support when they are planning for the three-year-old children in their settings.
Raising quality
The ten-year strategy is clear about what the new framework needs to do and reflect: its purpose is to ensure a consistent approach to care, learning and development from birth to the end of the Foundation Stage.
It also has a key role to play in raising the quality of provision by helping practitioners to plan care and learning that is right for each child at each stage of their development, including identifying and meeting particular needs as early as possible.
The framework needs to reflect a distinct and coherent stage, from birth to the end of the Foundation Stage, in which 'care' and 'education' are brought together and there are no artificial distinctions between some parts of the day being 'care' and others being 'education', as though each encompassed completely different people, activities and expectations.
A play-based approach needs to underpin the framework, reflecting the critical importance of play as one of the key ways in which young children learn. This contrasts with the inappropriateness and ineffectiveness of more formal approaches to learning and teaching for young children.
Single framework
The new single framework will work within the context of the five outcomes for children set out in Every Child Matters, and the wider integration of services that is at the heart of the Change for Children agenda and the development of children's centres and extended schools.
We have already been talking to a wide range of practitioners to hear your views. Overwhelmingly, people are positive about the single framework that we are now calling the Early Development and Learning Framework.
As you would expect, a small number see its development as a chance to 'rip up everything and start again,' while some plead for, 'No more change, please'.
However, most welcome the reassurance that Birth to Three Matters and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage will continue to be the two core documents for those who work with young children.
Many would like to see some re-packaging of these documents within the context of the five outcomes for children set out in Every Child Matters, showing how the threads of 'a strong child', 'a skilful communicator', 'an effective learner' and 'a healthy child' can be drawn out of the six areas of learning for the Foundation Stage. They seek clarity on how those areas of learning can be shown to be firmly rooted in the four aspects of Birth to Three Matters, and how both support and contribute to the five outcomes.
They also want to be reassured that as the frameworks for literacy and mathematics are revised they will reflect the Early Development and Learning Framework.
Practitioners are also clear that we need to ensure continuity for children as they leave the Foundation Stage and move into Year 1 and beyond. A number of you have asked whether, in the light of five years' experience of the Foundation Stage, this would be a good opportunity to re-assess those early learning goals in literacy and mathematics that appear to be particularly challenging for children.
Others wonder how we can ensure that assessment is seen as first and foremost a way of planning appropriately to meet children's needs, interests and preferred ways of learning, rather than as a chore.
Tell us your views
As we begin to develop the single framework we want to continue the dialogue with all of you who work with children on a day-to-day basis and who are the real experts. We believe that in this way we are more likely to get it right.
You will have the opportunity to make your views known during the formal consultation phase next summer, but we hope that by working with practitioners at this stage we will be consulting on a framework that reflects the collective view of the early years community, including children and their parents.
So please let us know if you would like to be invited to one of our seminars; tell us what you think the issues are and let us know about the solutions you have already found.
Things have moved on so much since the introduction of the Foundation Stage five years ago. The ten-year strategy gives us all a chance to focus on where we want to be in our work with young children in 2014.
The Early Development and Learning Framework is a unique opportunity to set out what we believe will really give all our children the sure start in life to which we are all committed. Please help us to make sure we get it right.
More information
To see the ten-year strategy, 'Choice for Parents: the best start for children', visit the Every Child Matters website at www.everychildmatters.gov.uk.
HOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY
We will be holding seminars on the new Early Development and Learning Framework across the country in late October and November. To secure your invitation and/or have your say about any of the issues raised in this article, please e-mail me and my team at: FoundationStage@capita.co.uk.
Do remember to include your contact details so we can get back in touch with you.
The main issues we are talking to practitioners about are:
* How will Birth to Three Matters and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage link together;
* Whether the two sets of principles could be brought together into a single set of principles
* What issues concerning children's transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage One need to be resolved.
One of the things we are keen to do is not to limit our interactions with practitioners to helping us work through the key issues. We want to share and build on the very best practice so we also very much want you to tell us what you are already doing and how it is working well for you.
Apart from hearing from practitioners, we are also planning to canvass the opinions of children and their parents. We aim to work with three local authorities and to access parents and children through settings by funding these to host discussion events with parents. We will also give them the resources, such as cameras, to capture the views of children because we believe that the best approach is to build on established relationships. In this way we feel we are more likely to get a truer picture of the views and feelings of parents and their children.
